Massive Power Outage

DavidG · #1 August 18th, 2003, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by E3:
If you ask me, one of the minor, yet highly confusing issues for the public is that the media doesnt seem to understand the diffrent between the power plants, and the power grid.

You got that right. I'm still trying to find out from the news sites what actually happened. They really don't seem to know. Any Power engineers out there who can explain these terms?

"knocked out" ie the power station was knocked out.
"Cascade effect"
"fragile" ie the grid is fragile?? WTF??

Ragnarok · #2 August 18th, 2003, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidG:
You got that right. I'm still trying to find out from the news sites what actually happened. They really don't seem to know. Any Power engineers out there who can explain these terms?

"knocked out" ie the power station was knocked out.
"Cascade effect"
"fragile" ie the grid is fragile?? WTF??

IIRC lightning hit a station somewhere (forget where) and knocked its power out. The surrounding stations tried to cover for it while it was down and they couldn't handle the strain so they too blew. This went on down the line until the final outcome as it was. But I may be mistaken on that.

TerranC · #3 August 18th, 2003, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragnarok:
IIRC lightning hit a station somewhere (forget where) and knocked its power out. The surrounding stations tried to cover for it while it was down and they couldn't handle the strain so they too blew. This went on down the line until the final outcome as it was. But I may be mistaken on that.

There was no lightning; the main cause is still unknown, but something happened at a transmission line in ohio that caused it to go out. The power that should have been normally flowing throughout those lines were diverted to other lines, and those other lines, which couldn't handle the extra surge, went pop, taking out power stations connected to them.

That's my understanding of this whole event; other provinces and states were spared from this domino effect because they cut the connection from the falling dominoes.

Fyron · #4 August 18th, 2003, 04:06 AM

If the main cause was unknown, how can you say it was not lightning? Or are you just saying that there was no lightning in Ohio around the time the power grid went down?

TerranC · #5 August 18th, 2003, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
If the main cause was unknown, how can you say it was not lightning? Or are you just saying that there was no lightning in Ohio around the time the power grid went down?

The NERC said the latter, I think.

[ August 18, 2003, 03:17: Message edited by: TerranC ]

Thermodyne · #6 August 19th, 2003, 01:35 AM

The people in Ohio are now saying that there was a severe current flux prior to the circuit trip they suffered. According to them, it occurred repeatedly for several hours prior to the event. And they are again pointing the finger to the north. They way these guys cover their tails, they must have been politicians in their Last jobs.

Personally, I think Tesco was trying to bring his weapons platform on line and the phased polaron beam took down the grid

[ August 18, 2003, 12:36: Message edited by: Thermodyne ]

dogscoff · #7 August 18th, 2003, 05:38 PM

Hmm, conflicting reasons being offered as to the cause eh? How long before the wacko conspiracy theories start to emerge? Anyone seen any already?

IE aliens zapped the power grid, the government was testing a new anti-alien superweapon, alien islamic fundamentalist terrorist warlocks cast a spell on the power station etc etc etc...